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Slipping away to a cottage retreat in the middle of nowhere (or somewhere near to spas and shopping where the neighbours can’t hear your raucous singing) for one last “relaxing” weekend with the girls might be expected as your big day approaches, but have you considered a holiday cottage as a potential venue for the wedding day itself?

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In my job as a full time wedding blogger and bridal features writer, I come across gems of wedding venues all the time – from the stately and sublime to the cosy and chic, but I must admit that I hadn’t considered the option of hiring a holiday cottage to host a private and personal wedding celebration until I was approached by Brides Up North sponsor Sykes Cottages.

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Why haven’t I thought of this before?

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Sykes Cottages manage a veritable smorgasbord of beautiful holiday homes which are available to hire for your special day. Think about it – it’s a wedding “at home” (the dream home of your choice, selected from a vast variety of options that you can browse online), but “on location” at the same time. Choose your property, location, length of stay and any added extras… then send out the save the dates. And, as the mini-moon and staycation remain as popular as ever, the after the event possibilities are endless too.

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Genius. Maybe that girly get-away can wait…

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Amanda of Sykes Cottages says: So you’ve got the ring (congratulations!) and now you can look forward to the next few weeks and months of planning every little detail of your big day. From the dress to the flowers and the transport, your ‘to-do’ list seems endless.

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When it comes to the venue, your decision is crucial as the venue itself will dictate the tone of the entire day. Whether you choose a grand stately home, your childhood church or an outdoor location, choosing the venue is one of the biggest and most difficult decisions before the big day. But if a grand property isn’t quite what you have in mind, perhaps a more intimate wedding venue would fit the bill.

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Finding a holiday cottage ideal for your wedding isn’t as difficult as you might think. Choose a grand property set in beautiful grounds for the wow factor with an intimate feel or a more traditional cottage for a romantic, outdoorsy style. Some properties even have a dance floor, offer a private chef and maid service to ensure your nuptials go without a hitch.

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Feeling at home at the venue a few days before the wedding should help settle those last minute nerves on the big day. Book a make-up artist or hairdresser so you and your bridesmaids kick start the day in style. If you’re planning a big day with a home-spun feel, choosing a property to accommodate all the guests in the run up to the wedding is a great choice: make use of the willing volunteers and create a truly unique backdrop to your big day.

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Wherever you choose to celebrate your big day, choosing a holiday cottage for the occasion is a good way to guarantee a totally unique wedding. Pick a holiday cottage in some of the UK’s most stunning countryside for exceptional wedding photos that you’ll love forever.

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Instead of disappearing on honeymoon towards the end of the reception, many couples now choose to enjoy the first few days of wedded bliss closer to home before embarking on their honeymoon to remember later on. While tradition dictates that the groom to be is responsible for planning (and financing!) the honeymoon, it certainly doesn’t hurt you to drop a few hints in the lead-up to the big day!

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Choosing a holiday cottage is a really great way to combine the high-end finish of a boutique hotel with all the privacy you want in your first few days as a married couple. Find honeymoon accommodation with a private hot tub and celebrate with a glass of champagne under the stars for the perfect start to married life any time of year.

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For a summer honeymoon, why not choose a holiday cottage with access to a swimming pool or by a secluded beach for a wonderful few days. Winter brides might prefer a cosy, traditional cottage with a roaring log fire for romantic days and nights in. Wherever you choose to spend those first few days as Mr and Mrs, you’re sure to leave with memories to treasure.

I’ve got a whole host of jubilee celebration shoots lined up for you over the next few days, so keep on dropping by to join the flag waving here at Brides Up North.

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Getting things off to a fabulous start, a blog post that I have been so excited to share with you, as Brides Up North exclusively reveals the first images from the cool new Manchester wedding venue that the whole of Twitter is buzzing about: Fifth Floor Manchester.

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I’m thrilled to be working with the team at this different and exciting new venue, and although the location is not quite ready to be revealed until the official launch (more news soon!) all systems are go for a series of very special events this year, that I am proud to have been asked to support. I shall be in attendance with my glass of Pimms, no problem about that!

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Until then, here’s a first look behind the scenes with Brides Up North’s latest Featured Supplier…

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The team at Fifth Floor Manchester say: What a busy few months we’ve had and we haven’t even launched yet. It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a secret journey that will shortly be coming to a stop and finally revealed. It’s been so hard to keep our location under wraps and who the team members are but it’s all been worth it.

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Today we unveil one of our first inspiration shoots at our wedding venue, our website and much more. How exciting! We love our venue very much and only decided to take on this huge project because of its beauty and it’s space was going to waste. It’s unique characteristics don’t give in to corporate formality because of it’s age and place in history. It’s nothing like we’ve ever seen before and it takes our breath away every time we enter the room.

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So how do we show these qualities to you without giving away our location? With the jubilee celebrations just around the corner, it seemed perfect. We stumbled upon an old Vogue “Royal Wedding” illustration and thought it was magical. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have a photo-shoot based around the Queen’s wedding day!

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We know everyone loves a bit of vintage but we wanted something a little different. We didn’t want it to have a vintage theme: we wanted it to feel like you were actually back in 1947. No televisions, no coloured newspapers – just authenticity.

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What a shock we got when we saw these glorious images! We had a wonderful team on the day of wedding suppliers. It was a long day and everyone was truly amazing!

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So we want to say thank you to all the supplier’s we’ve worked with so far to make this possible, our followers on twitter for all your support and Julia at Brides Up North of course.